5 Virtues of a Pearl
Discover the time honoured methods traditionally used to assess the value of pearls…
Discover the time honoured methods traditionally used to assess the value of pearls…
While it takes many years to become an expert in pearl grading, pearls are primarily judged on their beauty and one's first impression is paramount. Guided by instinct and age-old grading techniques, jewellery lovers can learn to recognise the individual virtues, a combination of which ultimately determines the value and quality of a pearl.
Discover the 5 Virtues
The magic of a pearl lies in its lustre. Though difficult to illustrate, lustre is the most important characteristic of pearl quality that is instantly recognisable.
A pearl with a flawless surface is exceptionally rare. Pearl quality is influenced by the number and size of imperfections and their degree of visibility. Clearly noticeable imperfections will significantly compromise a pearl's allure and value
Australian South Sea pearls are naturally formed in a fascinating variety of shapes.
Circle
Keshi
The wide array of natural colours of Australian South Sea pearls typically mirror the overtones of the pearl shell.
Australian South Sea pearls have very thick pearl nacre and are the largest of all pearls, typically ranging from 8mm to 16mm. These illustrations are not to scale.
Lustre refers to the behaviour of light interacting with the countless layers of pearl nacre. Nacre is the pearlescent organic material produced by the oyster that forms the body of the pearl. Fine quality pearl nacre results when an oyster lays pearl nacre tiles in perfect symmetry allowing light to refract uninterrupted through the layers of the pearl. This gives the appearance of a soft iridescent glow from deep within. Natural lustre is everlasting and should not be confused with the superficial shine of treated pearls that diminishes over time. Pearls of exceptionally high quality exhibit a phenomenon known as orient; a combination of translucence overlaid with a subtle play of colour on the pearl's surface.
Pearl nacre is a complex matrix of calcium carbonate crystals and special substances produced by the oyster. This matrix consists of overlapping layers of microscopic tiles. When the layers are perfectly uniform, the nacre will appear identical over the entire surface of the pearl, thus creating a flawless pearl. However even nature is rarely perfect. Some tiles may not be perfectly laid, resulting in pearls having blemishes on their surface known as spots or marks.
A pearl's shape does not affect its quality; the demand for a particular shape, however, does have a bearing on value. Pearls of perfect symmetry such as round and tear-drop shapes are particularly rare and desirable. Ultimately, beauty lies in the eye of the beholder and selection of shape is a personal choice.
Colour, like shape, is a very personal choice and the popularity of a particular hue influences a pearl's value. Australian South Sea pearls are typically white, silver, cream or gold. White with pink overtones is the most prized colour.
Larger sizes exceeding 20mm are occasionally found and such pearls are highly prized. Larger pearls are typically more valuable due to their greater rarity but size is only one of the 5 Virtues used to consider a pearl's value. The thick nacre for which Australian South Sea pearls are renowned ensures that their beauty will endure for generations. Pearls are measured in millimetres by width.
A circled pearl features one or more grooved rings around the pearl and can be found in a multitude of different shapes. This distinct characteristic gives circle pearls an appealing individuality.
A keshi pearl is a cultured pearl without a solid nucleus. Keshi is a Japanese word that literally means "poppy seed" and is used to describe small pearls. These rare pearls are highly sought-after due to their beautiful, intense lustre and unique freeform shapes. Keshi pearls generally range in size from 2mm to 8mm but are sometimes found in larger sizes.